If you’ve visited these pages before, you may remember my series of blogs looking into the Norse myths and legends which inspired one of the world’s leading river cruise lines, Viking, when it came to naming their many vessels. A look through Norwegian history shows that Vikings certainly knew a thing or two about exploring Europe and indeed, that’s something that this most successful of river cruise lines is extremely good at. Here’s a look at just some of the rivers you can sail and the countries you can experience with Viking.
The Rhine
The Rhine is one of the world’s most famous rivers and Viking offers plenty of itineraries which explore it, some of which start along the Dutch Waterways, close to where it ends its journey. Your voyage takes you through some truly stunning landscapes which would’ve surely impressed the Vikings, on a route populated by historic castles, lush forests and sweeping vineyards. Amsterdam, Cologne, Strasbourg, Koblenz and Basel are just some of the cities you can see as well as a wealth of smaller historic towns which offer a fascinating look at German history, culture and cuisine.
The Danube
The Danube is another major European river which Viking explores in-depth and one which is always extremely popular, taking visitors to a number of iconic capital cities. If you’re inspired by the Vikings’ epic journeys of yore, it’s possible to sail the Rhine and the Danube in one continuous voyage, but by concentrating purely on the Danube, you’ll certainly see more of central and eastern Europe. Danube mainstays include Germany’s historic Nuremburg, Austria’s beautiful capital Vienna and Hungary’s Budapest, with its famous bastion which would’ve given even the Vikings cause for concern, had it been built when they were busy pillaging!
French rivers
France is another country which the Vikings explored and they even settled in Normandy during the 10th century. A Viking river cruise along the Seine departing in the country’s iconic capital Paris is a great way to explore this historic coastal region, which is today better-known for landings of a different kind. The Gironde, Garonne and Dordogne rivers are also yours to explore with Viking, and will take you through the beautiful Bordeaux region, while Rhone and Saone itineraries are popular too, taking you to such historic cities as Lyon and Avignon and exploring the legacy of another of history’s well-travelled peoples, the ancient Romans.
The Douro
A very different kind of river cruise you can enjoy with Viking is one which travels along Portugal’s River of Gold, the Douro. History shows that the Vikings did get as far south as Portugal but your journey will certainly be a more rewarding one. After time to explore the country’s capital Lisbon, your voyage will begin in coastal Porto, home of none other than port wine and some truly charming architecture, after which you’ll sail upriver, calling at a number of historic towns and cities which each offer an engaging look at Portuguese culture and history.
Wherever you want to go, at RiverVoyages.com, we always have an excellent selection of Viking river cruises available, so call our dedicated River Cruise Concierge today to make your reservation.
